Five Senses and a Consequence
by Sadie Winchester
Summary: [AU, AH]: She had always been the one in control in their relationship; everything she said, he did without question, just to please her. She was cold towards him, yet he put up with it because he loved her. Then one day, he came to his senses and left her. :: Dark!Zoe/Percy, Annabeth/Percy.
1. Touch

**The Art of Moving On** - _Five Senses and a Consequence _

She had always been the one in control in their relationship; everything she said, he did without question, just to please her. She was cold towards him, yet he put up with it because he loved her. Then one day, he came to his /senses/ and left her.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians - English - Romance/Hurt/Comfort - Rating T - Zoe N. & Percy J.

**I. Touch **

I approached her with a smile on my face - the kind of smile that she always said made me appear foolish and not of the class that I belong to. I had the flowers in my hand; I was really hoping that she liked them. I had gone to the most expensive flower store in Manhattan to find the most beautiful flowers for her. She deserves the best after all. Nothing but the best. Always.

I caught sight of her standing under a shady tree with her arms by her sides, wearing her usual poker face. She didn't like showing emotions, not even to me. When she did show them, it was usually to express negativity. She rarely smiled, but when she did, it was the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. It made people stop and stare in surprise. Literally.

Everyone in Manhattan knows her, of course. She works at the cinema in Times Square and has seen her at least once. They all knew that she never smiled. It was a true sight to see when she did.

I walked closer towards her, my feet making my footsteps loud on the concrete. Her eyes flickered to the flowers in my hand and she turned her head. I hoped that she was smiling... even if it was just a small grin. My heart fluttered as she turned her head back to me and her volcanic dark eyes gleamed in the sun.

"Zoe," I breathed out nervously. I always became nervous in her presence. It's what she did to me. I honestly love this girl. My palms became sweaty and I wiped my free one on my shirt discreetly as I leaned over to her and tried to kiss her lips, but she turned her head to the side, so I ended up kissing her cheek. I desperately tried to hide my frown.

She looked at me and then down at the flowers. I handed them to her and smiled when she stroked the ruby petals tenderly and then looked back at me, yet her lips were set in a thin line.

"Perseus," she began. I didn't flinch like I usually did when someone said my full name... I liked the way that she said it. It was soft and sensual and it made my insides turn to mush.

"Yes?" I asked her as I fiddled with the end of my navy shirt; I didn't want to meet her eyes, I was too nervous for that.

"Do you _ever _listen to me?" She put a dark emphasis on 'ever'. It was filled with anger.

I gulped as she glared at me darkly and crushed the roses in her hands slwoly. "I told you that I don't like to be given gifts like _these._ Do you think I am _poor _that I can't afford _flowers_?" She demanded and threw them down on the concrete sidewalk and stepped on them repeatedly until the petals were smeared messily on the sidewalk... almost like blood.

By-passers stared at us as they walked past, but I tried to ignore them. I shook my head frantically as I tried to walk closer to her; she backed away from me and her glare became more intense.

"That's not what I meant, I swear!"

I placed a hand on her shoulder and flinched when my hand made contact with hers, but she shrugged it away. Zoe turned away from me and crossed her arms as she walked away and took a seat on a bench and huffed in an irritated manner.

I stayed back and lowered my gaze to my shoes and shoved my hands deep within my pockets. My head was being crammed with thoughts as I turned my back on her and kicked a pebble back and forth in between my feet.

When I touched her shoulder, I didn't feel the same spark that I usually felt when I made contact with her. I _always _felt that electric shock run through my veins, even if it was a brush of our hands or a hand to the shoulder. This time, all I felt was the coldness of her skin.

I saw her turn back around from the corner of my eye with an angry fire in her dark eyes. "Well, aren't you going to apologize, Perseus?" She snapped.

I turned back to her nodded, walking towards her and sat next to her on the bench. I looked at her face and then at her crossed arms. Her hands were shaking and I could tell that she was itching to slap me; I've known her for too long, so I can usually tell what she is feeling by her body language.

"I apologize, Zoe. I'll make sure that it does not happen again in the future."

She rolled her eyes and stood up abruptly. "I'm going home. You made me come here for nothing."

I stood up and grasped her arm. "Wait, do you forgive me?"

She backed away from me and then put her hand on her hip and thought for a moment. "This better not happen again."

I smiled in relief and took her hand in mine - again, nothing - and raised it to my lips and kissed it, the feeling of her icy skin on my lips. Just like her. "I promise, it won't."

She nodded stiffly, snatched her hand from me and walked away, not turning back to see the frown that was on my lips.

**... **_**The Art of Moving On ... **_

I walked towards my house in a quick pace. I sighed and stared down at my hands, which had pink water on them from the roses I had crushed in my hands. I was well aware that he had spent so much money on those flowers - he always did when it came to giving me gifts.

It didn't matter. His family has plenty of money to spare, and one hundred dollars or so weren't going to make a difference in his bank account.

I shrugged and wiped my hands on the front of my torn jeans quickly and picked up my pace, eventually beginning to run.

My family wasn't wealthy at all, yet Percy loved me so. His father had forbidden him to date anyone who wasn't of their class, yet he defied his father's strict orders and loved me. I treated him like trash - even though he was far from it - yet he _still _loved me. The voice at the back of my head told me that I didn't deserve someone like him; a man who treated me like a queen didn't deserve to be treated like rubbish, but the other side of my head, the one who often took control of me countered back, saying that I do deserve him.

All my life, my family has been living in ruins, being poor. This was my chance to pull my family through poverty. The Jacksons are one of the richests families in the United States, and I wasn't going to let this chance go; even with my nasty attitude towards him, I knew that he wouldn't leave me. He loved me too much. Foolish boy.

"You're back," my mother said as I walked in our small apartment. I nodded and headed towards my room rapidly. I didn't want to see her today. She would just pester me with questions concerning my relationship with Percy and demand to see what he had given to me today.

She is the one who made me who I am today. She taught me to not show emotion and she made me a cold person. She was the one who had made me date Percy Jackson.

I heard footsteps near my room and then: "Your father will not be home today!"

Her footsteps faded away before I could answer and I knew that she had returned to the kitchen. She spent all of her time cooking; she made food and sold it in the streets, to make money for the two of us. My father didn't give us a cent, even though he is still married to my mother.

The news didn't surprise me. This was nothing unusual. I barely saw my father, and I was lucky if I even caught a glimpse of him. He loved his work more than my mother and I, and when he wasn't working as a bodyguard for some rich family, he was out bedding random women.

If my mother is very well aware of this, she didn't let me know, and she said nothing. She would be a hypocrite if she did. She, too, slept around on her free time. I was the only child, and sometimes, it wasn't all that great. I was often lonely, having no one besides Percy for company. None of his friends liked me, they could see right through me. I didn't care, Percy wouldn't believe them anyways.

I closed my eyes and rubbed my hands together to make them warm. It was the middle of January, and it was freezing in Manhattan. Our apartment didn't have heating; we were _that _poor. I was surprised that we could still afford the apartment.

My thoughts drifted back to Percy. I smiled as I remembered his panicked expression when I accused him of not listening to me.

... It had been _amusing. _That boy is so stupid, I wouldn't break up with him. At least, not yet.

_**... The Art of Moving On ... **_

"I don't think so," Annabeth mumbled and didn't meet his brilliant sea-green eyes. "She's not good for you, Percy." She said softly and looked back at him.

He stared back at her in disbelief. "I thought that you would be happy for me, Annabeth", he said quietly and turned away from her.

"Why else would she date me for five years?"

Annabeth's gray eyes became steely at the reminder. "All of these years, she's used you because of the money that you give her."

"She throws my gifts away."

Annabeth glared at him and rolled her eyes at his idioticy. "She doesn't appreciate you."

"She loves me and I love her. She isn't a golddigger."

"She doesn't throw the ones with the most value. Has she thrown away the jewelery that you have given her? The phones? Money? Expensive chocolate? Clothe -"

"Stop!"

"You know it's true, Percy!"

Percy shook his head, trying to get his best friend's words out of his head. Tears formed at the edges of his eyes. "She loves me."

The blond girl sighed and embraced him tightly. "Everyone else sees it... everyone except you."

Percy remembered his meeting with Zoe. How he touched her and how he had felt nothing anymore, like he usually did. He returned Annabeth's embrace and burried his face into her princess-like blond curls.

"She's hurting you. I know she is. I can see it in your eyes."

He turned away. Sometimes he forgot that his best friend could read his emotions through his eyes. _'The eyes are the windows to the soul' _he remembered Annabeth's mother saying.

"I'm fine," he mumbled.

"No, you are not."

"Please, let's just stop talking about this."

Annabeth frowned and sat next to him on his bed. They were both in his bedroom, which had an excellent view of Manhattan. The two of them had been best friends since they were twelve years old, having attended the same school - Goode Academy for Members of the High Class Society.

Years later, in their sophmore year, Zoe Nightshade had been enrolled in the school. Everyone had looked down on her for not being part of the high society. She had only been enrolled because her father's boss, Richard Dare, had offered to pay for her education in that school to thank him for his services; but Percy hadn't cared, he was the first person to talk to her and befriend her. Sure, she was cold and had a nasty attitude, but over the months, she began to warm up to him, and suddenly, in their Junior year, she had asked him out.

Of course, he had said yes, and that didn't go well with his 'friends'.

"Alright," she said and ran a hand through her hair. "What do you want to do, then?"

"I was thinking... movie and dinner?"

"Here?"

"Yes. I don't feel like going out."

Annabeth nodded in understanding. "I know, plus, it's almost midnight. That's when all the evil spirits are set free."

Percy gave her a look that said _you are insane. _"You still believe that?"

"Of course," she responded simply.

Percy shook his head. "Whatever Wise Girl. You pick the movie, and I'll go to the kitchen and tell Hestia to prepare us some food, alright?"

Annabeth nodded and got up from the bed, but he grabbed her wrist. "Thank you," he whispered and kissed her cheek lightly, then walked out of the room.

Annabeth smiled widely and sighed dreamily. Maybe he would break things off with Zoe and run into her arms... she could only dream.

"I hope so," she mumbled and walked in front of the television and scanned the shelf next to it for a good movie to watch.

"Hm..." She ran a finger through the sides of the DVD cases as her gray eyes searched for a good movie. "How about... um, oh good."

She took the DVD case from the shelf and grinned widely as he walked back in the room and shut his door quietly. "Did you pick a movie?"

Annabeth held up the DVD case and he grinned. "Awesome. Put it in!"

She placed the disc in the DVD and closed it, waiting for the main screen to pop up.

"I love this movie!" He said with a grin on his face, his green eyes focused on the screen. Both of them laughed as they watched Jack Frost fall off a tree and faceplant into the ground.

"How did _that _not hurt him?" Annabeth asked as she stuffed more food into her mouth. Percy shrugged. "I guess it's a perk of being dead?"

"Maybe."

They continued watching the movie, laughing some more when Jack would call Bunny a kangaroo and (although Percy would _never _admit it) - almost crying when Pitch broke Jack's staff and Jack said _"Pitch is right. I make a mess of everything." _

"Noooooo, Jack! Don't say that!" Percy almost-sobed and began to stuff his mouth with popcorn faster.

Annabeth glanced at him and made a mental note to tease him later. Then, it was her turn to sob when the scene of human Jack fell into the lake and died, saving his sister. "This movie...why, why, why!"

Percy patted her back. "It's okay Annabeth...look," he picked up the remote and rewinded the scene, both of them watched the scene backwards: Jack falls into the lake, comes back out and grins.

"There, even if we had to watch that backwards, did you see his expression?" Percy snorted and Annabeth nodded. "His face is saying: 'Yeah, right bitch, as if a lake can drown me.'"

Percy turned to glare at her. "You just had to remind me, didn't you?"

Annabeth frowned and stared at the paused screen. "Hey, have you noticed that the moon has expressions? Like, he's watching Jack die with an open mouth, like a shocked face. Don't act innocent, Manny you little shit."

For the rest of the night, they continued to watch the movie repeatedly and eventually, the two of them fell asleep together, while the credits to _Rise of the Guardians _rolled onscreen.

**A/N: HEY DO YOU GUYS WANT ME TO CONTINUE THIS? THIS IS THE FIRST CHAPTER, BUT IF IT GETS ENOUGH REVIEWS, I MIGHT CONTINUE IT. SO IT'S UP TO YOU. **


	2. Sight

**|| CHAPTER TWO: ****SIGHT**

_**All You Ever Think About Is Sick Ideas Involving Me Involving You **_

It wasn't until three days later when I saw her again, but this time, it was purely coincidence. I had been keeping my distance from her - or anyone, really - ever since our meeting at the park. Her cold touch kept haunting my thoughts, and it wasn't so pleasant. The thoughts, the filled me with guilt and pain because my mind told me that this day was bound to come. I don't deserve her cruel treatment, I deserve better than her, my friends have always told me, but I had been too blinded, but - No! Zoë is all I need.

Annabeth's words were running through my head over and over again, making me clench my head in frustration. I shouldn't be questioning my emotions, - my feelings for my girlfriend. I love her and that's that. She's all I need, I can't, and I won't - but in the darkest and most secluded part of my mind, my conscience whispered that those feelings were changing at a fast pace. I decided to ignore it. It was the distance, really. I just need to spend more time with her.

I haven't seen her much since the start of our summer break, and we only had a couple of weeks left before we returned to college for our final year.

When I walked in through the front doors of Lynn's Bakery Shop of Brooklyn, with Annabeth trailing behind me, I didn't notice her at first, too wrapped up in my conversation with my blonde best friend. We were discussing some of the latest movies we had watched together, amongst them, my new favorite: Olympus Has Fallen.

That movie was just freaking _epic, _and since Annabeth and I are huge mythology nerds, it was also a plus. It was just so action filled and there was so much blood and many explosions that I just couldn't get enough of. It made my excitement rise every time I remembered it.

"Yeah," Annabeth said as we sat down at one of the booths in the corner of the nearly empty and quiet bakery. "It was just so amazing, at the end. I thought that the President's son wasn't going to make it!" She exclaimed, just as excited as me, her eyes lighting up with remembrance. I couldn't help but smile at that; she doesn't get excited often, except for when she rambles on and on and on about architecture or her favorite books.

I chuckled. "Same, but it was sad, really. Everyone who got blown up on the helicopter, remember?"

"I actually thought the president was in there!"

"Yeah, I could tell. You were shaking and eating popcorn at a faster pace the more excited you got!"

Annabeth kicked my shin lightly. "Whatever, Percy. You were doing the same."

"I never denied it, Wise Girl."

Annabeth shook her head as we heard the footsteps of the waitress who came to take our order. "Alright," I said as I scanned the menu without looking up. "I would like a slice of vanilla ice cream cake..." my eyes trailing down the list of fruit sides." With strawberries on the side and... A hot chocolate," I stated satisfied with my order. I put my menu down and finally looked up to meet her cold dark eyes that were peering down at me with an unrecognizable emotion.

"Zoë," I muttered. I broke eye contact with her and looked at anything but her. Her piercing gaze was tearing through me. "I would like a slice of double chocolate cake with whipped cream and hot chocolate with marshmallows, please." Annabeth said pleasantly and smiled at my girlfriend, whom was scribbling furiously on her notepad, her reproachful eyes still focused on me.

Annabeth took my hand in hers and then looked back up at Zoë and cleared her throat. "I would like my breakfast today, waitress," she said sweetly with a tone of dismissal. "Or shall I have to file a complaint with your boss?"

Zoë scrunched up her nose in anger and stalked away into the kitchen without a word or a glance. Once she was out of sight, Annabeth's pleasant smile faded and she turned to me. "I didn't know that she worked here" she told me with annoyance and a roll of her eyes.

I shook my head. "Neither did I," I muttered under my breath as my eyes were focused on the tiles where Zoë had previously stood, realization sinking upon me. I felt my blood turn cold and my heart harden. This wasn't happening.

_But it really is. _

For years, I had thought that I... - no, I can't think that way. I love Zoë, and if I ever considered leaving her, she would be heartbroken. She loves me too, at least... I think she does.

_Foolish boy, stop lying to yourself. _

"Percy?" Annabeth said as he pulled at my hand. "Percy?"

Snapping out of my thoughts and back into reality, I turned to my best friend. "Sorry," I said. "I was just thinking."

My nose caught the delicious smell of Annabeth's chocolate cake and I looked down to see my slice of ice cream cake on a plate in front of me. I hadn't even noticed. I looked around, but Zoë was nowhere to be seen.

Annabeth's smile wavered. "I noticed. Look, let's just enjoy our Saturday morning without worries, all right?" My eyes searched the bakery one last time before I turned back to look at the gray ones in front of me. "All right." I nodded and grabbed my fork, digging in.

Yet, I could feel _her _glare and I knew that I was fucked.

_**Feels like I'm Falling in Love When I'm Falling to the Bathroom Floor**_

I've always been a very observant person, if I do say so myself. I like to carefully scan my surroundings and tear each person down piece by piece and figure them out like a complicated mathematic equation, figuring out their deepest secrets and reading their emotions as easily as I read a book.

In all of my years of knowing Percy Jackson, I had come to learn that one does not simply figure him out as he is erratic, but I have grown accustomed to him and his attitude, his moods, and I know when there is a dramatic change. This is one of those times.

I noticed the changes in his attitude two days ago ever since that afternoon when he last saw Zoë, he has been acting different. He's more closed off from others, including me, and he's always deep in thought, with his eyebrows scrunched together cutely and his sea green eyes turning a shade or two darker, and he no longer wears his usual mischievous smirk that I had once found so annoying but now so endearing.

There have also been noticeable changes in his physical appearance. There are dark purple bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, his usually messy hair is messier than usually, the ends sticking up everywhere like inky spikes, and his tanned skin is paler - like he had suffered from rapid blood loss. He thinks I don't notice these things, like the bloody nail scratches on his arms that he does to himself because he has never considered cutting when he's in a deep depression. That's not a bad thing, the latter I mean, but it pains me that he hurts himself - using his own body.

There's only one person to blame.

Yet, he has become more affectionate towards me. It started with his lingering touches, the hugs that last a second too long, and when he brushes my hair behind my ear and stares deeply into my eyes and proceeds to compliment me. They make me blush and I have the urge to _giggle. _I don't giggle - ever, but... after the excitement wears down and I manage to calm my blush, my demeanor darkens and my mood drops. I will not be a rebound.

Then Zoë came. She took our orders silently, her eyes filled with greed only focused on Percy. I wanted to rip her eyes out and/or just shake her and force her to tell Percy the truth and make her leave Percy alone, to stop hurting him. He doesn't deserve this. She doesn't know what he's going through, and he doesn't need any more pain. He doesn't deserve it... and someday I shall take my revenge on her.

She didn't spare a glance at me until I dismissed her nicely with an undertone of rudeness, but when I saw that she held her ground, it was when I threatened her with that attitude that the stereotypical rich girl has.

It was then when I noticed one of the major changes.

When Percy sees her, he usually perks up and grins widely, from ear to ear, and his ADHD acts up, his fingers begin to tap against a flat surface, just _itching _to touch her. This time, all I saw was guilt and regret. He didn't meet her eyes once, and I saw that she noticed the changes. Her eyes became darker and the angry fire in her eyes became more intense as she glared at him.

It was happening.

Finally.

_**Had Me Chasing Red Carpets and Watching All My Friends Slip Away **_

Slamming my bedroom door shut, I jumped into my bed and wrapped myself in the thin covers to shield my shivering body from the cold, my mind slipping back into the events of this morning.

This couldn't - _shouldn't' _- be happening. This was all wrong. He didn't even look at me once, didn't spare me a glance or a smile like he usually does. That Annabeth girl holding his hand and he didn't even oppose. She must have said something and he must have believed it.

I didn't want to accept the fact that I was slowly loosing him. I needed a way to make him stay with me; I couldn't afford to lose him now when I was running out of money, especially in this economy. I needed money to pay for college and for my clothes and food.

This isn't happening.

I began to think what it possibly had been that had set him off and made him so cold towards me. It couldn't have been the event at the park; I have always done that to him.

_But maybe he's tired of your shit. _

No, he's convinced that he loves me and that I love him, but I have to reassure him and make sure that he doesn't go running to that blonde bitch. I can't afford to lose him.

His wary gaze played in my mind and his guarded expression towards me filled me with fury.

_I can't lose him. Not him, not now. _

I don't love him, but I need him - as much as it pains me to admit it. I have to keep him close to me and make sure that he doesn't stray towards her. I have to know what she told him to make him hesitant of me.

_I can't lose him. I can't afford it. _

To keep him close to me, I have to spend more time with him. I can't be so cold towards him; I have to show affection towards him to make him fall all over again. I have to do things with him to spark his interest.

_I can't afford to lose him, I really, really can't. Because I am in love with him. _

It hit me like a brick wall and I felt the tears that began to prickle at the edges of my eyes as my mind came to a realization that had been staring at me this whole time. It wasn't lack of love; I just didn't want to admit it. It wasn't the money that I was in for; I was in this solely for him, because I am in love with him and I just didn't want to admit it to myself because I didn't want my heart broken, so it was better to be fake and be the heartbreaker.

_I can't afford to lose him because I love him. I love him, I love him, I love that idiot. _

_**I Wanna Be Your Lost Boy Your Last Chance A Better Reality **_

**|| End of Chapter Two || **

**Author's note**: Hey! Yes, I am indeed continuing this story because well, those are enough reviews for me. Sorry I didn't update earlier, but I was kind of in the middle of testing, and finals are still going on until the last day of school, which is a month away, yeah.

The songs from which the lyrics are used as line breaks are: _Obsessions, _by Marina and the Diamonds; _Stella_, _Sick Little Games_, _Somewhere in Neverland_, by All Time Low.

**Don't forget to review, yeah? **

I'm thinking of what story I should update next... review about that too, by the way. Which story do you want me to update?

Love you guys so much!

_Sadie _


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